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California Orange location

Earlier this year while in California I was approached by a guy who wants me to keep bees on his land next to lots of oranges. He is of course looking for rent money, which is fine, but I have some concerns.

A buddy of mine left some bees behind after almonds on some oranges and got sprayed really hard. Then someone tried to burn up all his hives. Fortunately only 20 hives burned as it was caught early. Does anyone here successfully keep bees on oranges and what is the going rate? This guy has called me again a couple of weeks ago to confirm if I wanted to bring them or not but I'm not sure. It would be great to make an orange blossom honey crop or start some nucs early but I have reservations. Any ideas?

Re: California Orange location

He is of course looking for rent money, which is fine, but I have some concerns.

Let me get this straight. He wants you to pay him to pollinate someone else's oranges? Without him being required to notify you of any harmful sprays, etc?

I would go talk to the orange grove owners. They might actually pay you to have your hives there.

Reminds me of a beekeeper I know who was approached by a person interested in having the beekeeper put a few hives on his property to pollinate the clover and alfalfa in the neighbor's hayfields - of course, he wanted some honey in exchange.

Re: California Orange location

He wants you to pay him to pollinate someone else's oranges?

Actually, the oranges are wind pollinated. You can tell by the structure of the inflorescence.
Orange locations are somewhat difficult to locate.
It's common, at least in California, for us to pay honey to the land owner directly for the use of the orange grove.
You can call it a brokers or finders fee.
Ernie